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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. board — to get on
  4. chip — to eat
  5. spell — a short time
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. tube — the underground
  9. spell — letters
  10. board — a committee
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bear — the animal
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mate — a friend
  15. tube — a container
  16. chip — for betting
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. spell — magic
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mate — to breed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com